Rising premature birth rate underscores the need for highly specialized, innovative neonatal care

Pediatrix Medical Group, Inc. (NYSE: MD), the nation’s leading provider of highly specialized health care for women, babies and children, will host the top meeting in neonatal medicine Feb. 22-24 in Las Vegas, Nevada. More than 385 physicians, allied health professionals, advanced practitioners/registered nurses, residents/fellows and exhibitors are expected to attend NEO: The Conference for Neonatology, where experts will address many of the most critical and controversial issues that influence the clinical practice of newborn medicine.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics recently reported that the premature birth rate rose 4% from 10.09% in 2020 to 10.49% in 2021, which was the highest recorded figure since at least 2007. The biggest increase was among early pre-term infants, or those born under 34 weeks gestation, at 4% from 2020 to 2021 compared to “late pre-term infants” born between 34 weeks and 37 weeks gestation.

“This new data underscores the need for more research and clinical expertise in the treatment of infants born early and, often, critically ill,” said Curt Pickert, M.D., Pediatrix chief operating officer and pediatric intensivist. “Pediatrix is dedicated to leading innovation in the field, and this annual conference is just one example of our commitment to improving outcomes for medically vulnerable, high-risk neonates.”

As the leading provider of neonatal services, Pediatrix cares for or provides diagnostics to nearly 1 million neonates annually, a quarter of all newborn babies in the United States.

Now in its 44^th year, NEO has established a reputation as the foremost neonatology meeting in the U.S. Directed by Reese H. Clark, M.D., executive director for the Pediatrix Center for Research, Education, Quality and Safety (CREQS) and senior vice president of clinical research, education, quality and safety, and Timothy Biela, M.D., affiliated neonatologist and medical director at Pediatrix Neonatology of San Antonio, NEO continues its longstanding tradition of providing the latest information on key areas of neonatal management. An esteemed panel of speakers comprised of Pediatrix affiliated physicians and well-recognized faculty from top institutions across the country will present on optimal approaches in the neonatal intensive care unit over the course of three days.

A highly anticipated event on the agenda each year is the presentation of the Legends in Neonatology Award. Established in 2007, the award honors the remarkable individuals who have dedicated their lives to neonatal medicine. This year’s recipient is research pioneer Barbara Schmidt, M.D., MSc, who has devoted more than 30 years to evolving evidence-based neonatal research and training the next generation of the field’s researchers.

CREQS is accredited as a provider of continuing medical education for physicians by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education and is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation. Participants can earn up to 19.75 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ or nursing contact hours.

For more information, visit NEO online.

ABOUT PEDIATRIX MEDICAL GROUP

Pediatrix® Medical Group, Inc. (NYSE:MD) is the nation’s leading provider of physician services. Pediatrix-affiliated clinicians are committed to providing coordinated, compassionate and clinically excellent services to women, babies and children across the continuum of care, both in hospital settings and office-based practices. Specialties include obstetrics, maternal-fetal medicine and neonatology complemented by more than 20 pediatric subspecialties, as well as pediatric primary and urgent care clinics. The group’s high-quality, evidence-based care is bolstered by significant investments in research, education, quality-improvement and safety initiatives. The physician-led company was founded in 1979 as a single neonatology practice and today provides its highly specialized and often critical care services through more than 5,000 affiliated physicians and other clinicians in 37 states. To learn more about Pediatrix, visit www.pediatrix.com or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter and the Pediatrix blog. Investment information can be found at www.pediatrix.com/investors.

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“Pediatrix is dedicated to leading innovation in the field, and this annual conference is just one example of our commitment to improving outcomes for medically vulnerable, high-risk neonates.”